Sprinkler-valve.



No.'67l,045. Patented Apr. 2, 190i.

M. G. BUNNELL. SPRINKLER VALVE.-

(Applicntiohflled June 5. (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheot I.

Patented Apr. 2, mm.

L L E N N u B a M SPBINKLER VALVE. (A umio meifiuue 25. 1900.,

2 Sheets-Shaet 2.

(No Modei.)

llnrrnn Starts PATENT Fries.

MORTON G BUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPRINKLER-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,045, dated April 2,1901.

Application filed June 25, 1900. iSerial No. 21,486.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTON G. BUNNELL, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Sprinkler-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in valves for sprinklers, andrefers more specifically to a valve particularly adapted for use upontraveling sprinklers and the like.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide avalve of thischaracter so constructed that the discharge-orifice thereof is in theform of a single parti-annular outlet as dis tinguished from thosevalves in which the water is discharged through a plurality of outlets,to so construct the valve proper that it will afford a variabledischarge at different points of its circumference to compensate for thedifferent areas sprinkled by the various parts of the valve, to providesuch a construction that the same relative proportions of variabledischarge will be maintained at any given degree of opening of thevalve, to provide a simple economical construction embodying the abovecharacteristics and one which will not be likely to get out of order inuse, and in general to provide an improved device of the characterreferred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andwill be readily understood from the following description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is atransverse sectional view of a street, showing a sprinkler-wagonequipped with my invention in rear end elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail endview of a valve embodying my invention and the operating-links wherebythe valve is shifted. Fig. 3 is a side ele vation of the parts shown inFig. 2. Fig. 4

is a transverse sectional view taken on line part at the side of theplug.

(No model.)

which is controlled by means of a valve 5, embodying my presentinvention.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 ct seqqwherein a single valveembodying my invention is shown in detail, within one side of thedischarge end of the branch pipe 4 is fixedly mounted a supporting-block6, preferably, and, as shown herein, parti-cylindric or approximatelyarc-shaped in cross-section, its exterior surface 7 being constructed tofit accurately withinthe discharge-pipe 4 and its flat surface 8 beingprovided with a suitable rib 9, of dovetailed form in the presentinstance, extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to form a supportupon which the valve-plug 10 is mounted to reciprocate in a directionparallel with the axis of the pipe. The valve-plug is of approximatelycircular form in cross-section throughout the principal part of itscircumference, but is provided at one side with a fiat face 11,conformed to fit accurately against the corresponding face 8 of thesupporting-block, and is also provided with a dovetail-shaped recess 12,adapted to fit upon the supporting-rib 9, so that the valve-plug maybecarried and supported otherwise entirely free from the interior of thepipe.

As will be seen by reference toFigs. 4 and 5, the valve-plug is madetapering inwardly from a diameter almost equal to the internal diameterof the pipe at a point near its outer end to a diameter considerablyless at its inner end, and it will be further noted that the curvedsides of the plug are not accurately circular or cylindric, but made totaper more rapidly at each side, as at 13 14, adjacent to thesupporting-block, and less rapidly tapering from these pointscircumferentially toward a point 15, located at the lowermost It is tobe understood that the degree of taper will be uniform, or, in otherwords, the taper will be straight from any given point of thecircumference of the plug longitudinally throughout its length, so thatthe same relative proportions of discharge will be maintained whateverbe the extent to which the plug be shifted outwardly and itsdischarge-orifice thereby increased- In order that the discharge-pipemay be completely closed at will, the outer end of the valve-plug isprovided with an annular shoulder or seat 16, adapted to fit accuratelyagainst the end of the pipe when the valve-plug is brought into bearingtherewith.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for reciprocating and controllingthe position of the valve-plug relatively to the dischargepipe, and inthe present instance such mechanism comprises a round lever 17,supported at a point intermediate its length, as at 18, upon a suitablestud or bracket 19, mounted upon the upper side of the discharge-pipe4:, one end portion 20 of said lever extending Vertically upward to forman operating-arm, which is pivotally connected with a link 21, leadingto and connected with any suitable operating-lever, while the oppositeend 22 is extended horizontally rearward and then bent at right anglesdown wardly and engaged with a projection 23 upon the outer end of thevalve-plug. Inasmuch as the valve-plug is guided to reciprocaterectilinearly and the end 22 of the bent lever moves in an are, one ofsaid parts is slotted at the point of connection, the bent lever beingin the present instance provided with a vertical slot 24, which engageswith a through-pin 25, seated in the projection 23.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be seen that the flatguide-surface 8 within the valvecasing and against which the valve plugrests and reciprocates is arranged at the upper side of the pipe, but isarranged obliquely with reference to a horizontal line, and by referenceto Fig. 1, wherein the position of the valve-plug is indicated in dottedlines, it will be seen that the right and left valves are arranged atopposite inclinations, the object of this construction being to properlydistribute the water from a point centrally beneath the vehicleoutwardly the full width of the strip sprinkled by each valve. Inasmuchas the valve-plug fits closely against the guidesurface upon which itreciprocates, the valve will obviously discharge no liquid throughoutthe length of the are forming said guidesurface, and no part of the areasprinkled will therefore be twice covered by the same valve. Byreference to Fig. 4, which represents the left-hand valve of the pair,it will be seen that the point of maximum discharge is locatedimmediately adjacent to the upper side margin of the guide-block 6 andthat the dischargeorifice gradually narrows in width from this pointaround to the point of minimum discharge 15, located at the lowest pointof the discharge pipe. In the same manner the point of maximum dischargeof that part of the valve which sprinkles beneath the vehicle is locatedimmediately adjacent to the lower side margin of the guide-block anddecreases gradually toward the point of minimum discharge 15, it beingnoted that that portion of the discharge-orifice which sprinkles beneaththe vehicle will be of considerably less capacity than the opposite sideto correspond to the lesser area covered by that portion of the valve.It will also be understood that the relative proportions of thedifferent parts of the discharge-orifice will be varied in accordancewith the different conditions required to be met, such variations beingmatters of mere mechanical skill.

The operation of the device has been sufficiently indicated inconnection with the foregoing description to be entirely clear, and neednot therefore be repeated.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a construction embodying myinvention is not only extremely simple and capable of being cheaplyconstructed, but will obviously be much less liable to become cloggedand in case of becoming clogged will be readily cleared by simplyopening the valve to a wider extent, so as to permit the water tomomentarily rush through the valve freely.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the details ofconstruction may be modified to a considerable extent without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore wish to belimited to the precise details shown except as they may be made thesubject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A sprinkler-valve comprising a discharge pipeor passage, a longitudinally tapered valve-plug arranged to control saidpassage, different portions of the circumference of said plug beingtapered at different angles, and mechanism for supporting andreciprocating said valve-plug.

2. In a sprinkler-valve, the combination with a pipe or passageconstituting a valvecasing, of a valve-plug arranged to control saidpassage, having a conoidal portion, the cross-sectional form of which isdifferent from the internal shape of the valve-casing, and such as toform, in conjunction with the latter, a parti-annular discharge-orificeof constantly-varying capacity throughout the circumference of saidconoidal portion.

3. In a sprinkler-valve, the combination With a pipe or passageinteriorly cylindric throughout its main circumference, but provided atone side with a non-circular longitudinally-extendingguide-surface, ofavalveplug arranged to control said passage having a conoidal shapethroughout its main circumference, but provided at one side with aguidesurface constructed to fit and engage the guide-surface of thevalve-casing, and means forsupporting the valve-plug upon saidguidesurface.

4. In a sprinkler valve, the combination with a pipe or passageinteriorly cylindric throughout its main circumference, but provided atone side with a non-circular longitudinally-extending guide-surface, ofa valve- .plug arranged to control said passage, having a conoidal shapethroughout its main circumference, but provided With a guide-surface atone side constructed to fit the guide-surface of the valve-casing,interfitting parts upon said guide-surfaces constructed to impart arectilinear reciprocation to the valve-plug, and means for reciprocatingsaid valve-plug relatively to the valve-casing.

5. In a sprinklervalve, the combination With a pipe or passageinteriorly cylindric throughout its main circumference, but provided atone side with a fiat longitudinallyextending guide-surface provided withan undercut longitudinally-extending rib, of a valve-plug arranged tocontrol said passage, having a conoidal shape throughout its maincircumference, but flattened at one side to fit against saidguide-surface and provided in said flattened surface with a guidegrooveadapted to receive the undercut rib of the valve-casing, thecross-sectional shape of said conoidal portion being such as to form, inconjunction with the cylindric interior of the valve-casing,aparti-annular discharge-orifice having the greatest area of dischargeadjacent to the flattened side thereof and decreasing in discharge areafrom these points toward a point of minimum discharge locatedintermediate of said points, substantially as described.

6. In a sprinklervalve, the combination with a discharge-pipe, of atapered valve-plug arranged to control the discharge end of said pipe,means supporting and guiding said valve-plug to impart a rectilinearmovement thereto parallel with the axis of th e dischargepipe and meansfor reciprocating said valveplug, comprising a bent lever pivotallysupported between its ends upon a support fixed relatively to thedischarge-pipe, an operatinglink connected with one end of said bent1ever and a slot-and-pin connection between the opposite end of thelever and a rigid part of the valve-body, substantially as described.

MORTON G. BUNNELL.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, FREDERICK O. GooDWIN.

